It has been a long time since I have done this hike and was excited to do it again but maybe to excited. After only a few hours of sleep I was off for an early morning start of the hike. After finishing the stair climb of what Top Spur has become I found I was having a “legs of lead” day. But it was a beautiful and beautiful place so I press on at a slow pace and made it up to McNeil Point. There were many small change that had taken place over the years I was gone and one big one, see the blow down that had happen from the storm about three years ago. I knew Paradise Park trail had been hit by micro bursts but all other place was a surprise. Hopefully storms like that are rarity and not the new norm. Hike was 10 1/2 miles and over 3000 ft. Total elevation gain.
6:30 am and the parking lot was already full except for one spot.
Starting off on Tip Spur Trail
You are walking on roots and rocks the whole way.
Entering Mt. Hood Wilderness at the junction of PCT and Timberline trail
Good trail though the trees
Trail around Bald Mt and seeing first micro burst blow down
Mt. Hood from Bald Mt.
Not sure what this is but there was a lot of it on Bald Mt.
After taking the cut off I was on the Trail to McNeil
After passing the Mcgee Creek Trail another stretch of root walking
This of the way this area has always looked
A short way up the trail is what it looks like after a micro burst
On nice trail on the ridge line.
Mt. Hood from the first opening
Lupin along the side of the trail
Up high snow is still melting out and Avalanche Lillys are blooming
First patch of snow to cross
At the landmark trail water fall
Every year it gets harder to get up the bank.
Looking over meadow to McNeil Point
Shooting stars
Only a few Bear Grass blooms up
Old Man of the Mt. just starting to form seeds
Mt. Hood from the Twin Lakes
Snow still melting at the upper lake
Mt. Hood look up through the Meadow where the the trail use to go.
Of the Timberline trail and on to McNeil Point
Trail was buried under snow still
Mt. Hood from the ridge.
Looking down to the Meadow. A great campsite at the end of that ridge
Looking over to Barrett Spur and some great off trail country
Wandering Daisy
Trail across the meadow to McNeil
Heather in bloom
Indian Paint Brush in the meadow
Lots of Indian Paint Brush and Heather in the meadow
A look back to Bald Mt. and the blow down
Looking back to the Meadow I crossed
Look down at the Twin Lakes
A hazy view of Mt Adam thanks to smoke
So a view of Mt Hood over the heather
Fifty feet further a view of Mt Hood over a snow field
View down the glacial valley carved by the Sandy Glacier
Flowers in a log - penstemon procerus
The shelter at McNeil Point
This was a very sketchy snow crossing with a bad fall line
